No Sympathy For India’s Starving

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31018, 25 March 1966, Page 12

No Sympathy For India’s Starving

(New Zealand Press Association? HAMILTON, March 24. Dr. C. P. McMeekan, former Director of the Agricultural Research Centre and now with the World Bank, said in Hamilton last night he has no sympathy for India’s starving millions.

“I will not work in India," he said. “I am not prepared to help people who will not help themselves.” Dr. McMeekan made his comments during a panel discussion on international problems. He referred to the vast population of sacred cows and monkeys in India. “If the Indians are prepared to starve rather than use these, then I have no sympathy for them.” If only half her sacred cows were made use of. India’s milk production would increase enormously, he said. But at the moment a famine Is anticipated in the country and it will be the United States's food reserves that will be exhausted.” India will not survive if she does not change her philosophy of life. Dr. McMeekan said. “Her sacred cattle will eat her out” Professor K. Sinclair, professor of history at Auckland University, disagreed. He said .that every religion had preuudices.

“We can’t ignore religions,” he said. “You couldn’t force all New Zealand Roman Catholics to eat meat on Fridays so the country’s meat production would get used.”